Underframe



Aug. 29, 1939. A. G. DEAN 2,171,107

- UNDERFRAME Filed June 17. 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 B'Y RM ATTORNEY.

30 a part of the car.

Patented Aug. 29, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UNDERFRAME Albert G. Dean, Narberth, Pa., assignor to Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 17, 1937, Serial No. 148,682

9 Claims.

.5 tion to provide a rail car 'body with an exceptionally strong anti-collision construction for the rear or observation car, especially of the streamline type.v

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved anti-collision beam structure for a rail car body in which the anti-collision members are effectively'continuations of the underframe.

, Another object of the invention is to provide an improved attachment for securing anti-collision beams tdan underframe of a vehicle so that short stub. beams may be used with a high bending moment reaction transmitted into the underframe.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following disclosure of a preferred form of embodiment thereof taken in connection with the attached drawings, in which Fig. 1 is side elevation of the rear end of a rear car.

5 Fig. 2 is an elevation ofthe shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal secton of the part of the car shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section through Fig. 5 is a plan View of the rear portion of the car underframe.

- Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on line 6--6 of Fig. 4.

1 With streamline trains it has been especially diflicult to provide an-adequately strong anti-collision structure for the end car. Especially when this is of the observation type. with the great window space and the compound curved roof there is little .room for attachment of the usual anti-collision beams to the roof structure.

Inaccordance with a preferred form of embodiment of the invention the car In shown in Fig. 1 which is intended to represent the end carof a streamline train, has the curved end portion [2 and the compound curved roof portion ll. Such car is mounted on the usual trucks l5 and has numerous windows It. It is commonly provided with individual movable seats H, as is well known.

As shown in Fig. 5, the underframe includes an end frame member l8 which is conveniently of a Y-shape with the respective legs I! andlfla of the ,Y joined at the fork to a stem 20 whicliis integrally connected with the-center sill 2|. At 56 the ends, the Y- shaped'members are integrally joined by a transverse member 22 which is of arcuate shape and serves to form the outline of the curve of the car body, and acts as the end sill member.

The anti-collision beams 25 are joined to the end frame member [8 with a portion of each post extending into a socket generally indicated at 26. The post is preferably of stainless steel and may be composed of a plurality of rolled members including Zs 21 reinforced by internal angles 28 and with suitable filler strips 29 and 30. These posts extend upwardly from the underframe member IE to the belt rail 32 as shown in Fig. 4 and are extended upwardly to the top rail 33 by a relatively narrow post 34 which is of restricted width in order to have the least interference with the windows It.

Adjacent the belt rail section 32 and on the interior of the car is a plate 31 which extends transversely .across the end of the car and is suitably notched out for the upper posts 34 which extend into the lower or anti-collision posts 25. The outer -edge of this plate 31 is suitably reinforced by'a-Z-member 38 and the structure is such that it will substantially reinforce the upper connection of the posts 25 with the side frame which may be of truss construction. In addition, it tends to prevent spreading of the belt rail section of the body. due to a possible longitudinal blow on the post.

The principal resistance to anti-collision forces is by the overlapping relation of the posts 25 with the pocket in the end frame l8. The post is conveniently welded around the edges where it adjoins the underframe and the outer open portion of the pocket is closed by the flat plate 40 which serves to make the arcuate member 22 continuous across the end of the car. The posts 25 acts as an efiective extension of the diverging leg members l9 and I911 and have high resistance to bending moment reactions. A plate 42 is conveniently secured to the arcuate portion 22 of the underframe-member, such plate extending to the belt rail portion 32 and serving as a structural member to distribute any forces across the entire area between the posts 25. This may be suitably sheathed by any form of sheathing, such as the corrugated sheathing 43 shown in Fig. 2.

The usual draft gear pocket 44 is shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

includes an extern-almoldi ng of flanged channel shape, but such molding is completed into a ,box-

shape by an internal plate 45 so that the belt rail portion of the car body is especially rigid.

While I have shown a preferred form of embodiment of my invention, I am aware that modifications may be made thereto and I therefore desire a broad interpretation of my invention within the scope and spirit of the disclosure herein and of the claims appended hereinafter.

What I claim is:

1. A vehicle body comprising a unitary under- 7 frame member having a heavy central stem. portion arranged for securement to a center sill and a transversely widened end sill portion having longitudinally deep pockets extending inwardly from its outer face, and posts having their lower ends of the depth of said pockets and fitted andsecured rigidly within the same, the outer face of the posts being flush with the outer face of said end sill portion.

2. A vehicle body comprising a unitary underframe member having a heavy central stem portion arranged for securement to a center sill, a

transversely widened end sill portion and diagonal brace portions interconnecting the laterally widened portions of said end sill portion with said stem portion, said end sill portion being formed in the vicinity of the points of joinder of said braces with the end sill portion with longitudinally deep pockets, and posts of a depth corresponding to the depth-of said pockets having their lower ends fitted and rigidly secured within said pockets, the outer faces of the posts being flush with the outer face of said end sill portion 3. A vehicle body comprising an end sill joined to an inwardly extending central stem, said end sill being provided with longitudinally deep pockets on the opposite sides of the axis of said stem, posts received and secured within said pockets and of a longitudinal depth correspond- "ing to the depth of said pockets fromthe sill to the belt line, and a wide horizontal plate interconnecting said posts at the belt line and extending inwardly to provide a shelf.

4. A vehicle body comprising an end sill member having on opposite sides of the center line of the body longltudinallydeep pockets extendin inwardly from its outer face and having an integral center stern portion extending inwardly for attachment to a center sill, posts received and rigidly secured within said pockets and of a longitudinal depth corresponding to the depth of said pockets from the sill to the belt line and having extensions above the belt line of reduced longitudinal depth, the outer faces of the post portions above being flush with the outer faces of the portions below the belt line.

5. A vehicle body comprising an end sill, said end sill being provided on opposite sides of the center line of the body with longitudinally deep pockets, posts received and secured within said pockets and of a longitudinal depth corresponding to the depth of said pockets at least in their lower portions and .a wide horizontal plate interconnecting said posts at the belt line and extending laterally beyond the posts for connection with the side walls of the body.

6. A vehicle body comprising a curved end sill member having longitudinally deep pockets extending inwardly from its outer curved face and having an integral central stem portion extending inwardly for attachment to a center sill, posts received and rigidly secured within said pockets and of a longitudinal depth corresponding to the depth of said pockets and with their outer faces flush with the outer face of the sill, whereby the outer paneling and moulding may be applied directly to the outer faces of said sill and posts.

'7. A vehicle body comprising an end sill, pockets on opposite sides of said end sill, posts received and secured within said pockets and extending upwardly above the belt line and a horizontally deep transverse plate interconnecting the posts at the belt line and extending laterally therebeyond for a connection to the side walls, said plate being adapted to serve as a combined reinforcing member and shelf.

8. A vehicle body according to claim 7 in which the plate is provided along its inner edge with an angular reinforcing 'member.

9. A vehicle body according to claim 7 in which the posts are additionally interconnected at the belt line by a box section belt rail extending latorally to and tying into the side walls.

ALBERT G. DEAN. 

